Parents must have all the facts

Side effects of ADHD drugs shock parents, Sept. 27

It makes me so angry that doctors and pharmaceutical companies heavily influence vulnerable parents who are desperately seeking help for their children. Do they really know the true side effects of these drugs? Or do they actually believe they work well? Parents will never know.

From my experience, nothing is more disturbing than asking the right questions about side effects and being arrogantly told by medical professionals: “How are we supposed to know when we have only begun using this drug two years ago?” Yes, parents, we and our children are their guinea pigs!

Parents must have all the facts about this issue. Not just the side effects of drugs but also of options that are out there for them. There is more than one path to take besides the medical one. Do your research by asking pharmacists, teachers, behaviour therapists, naturopaths or occupational therapists about managing ADHD. These sources are extremely useful and it will help make drug-related decisions easier.